Summer is alive in the River City, and the latest issue of RVA Magazine is here with it to tell the stories of arts, music, politics, and culture across Virginia.

It’s August, it’s hot, and it’s only going to get hotter here in the River City with the arrival on the streets of RVA Magazine #37, our Summer 2019 issue! This one’s bursting all around, with plenty of art, music, news, politics, and more. From the far corners of the Commonwealth to right here in Rich! Mond! Vee! Ay!, RVA Magazine is on point with the coverage of Virginia’s street-level culture that you’ve known and loved for the past 14 years.

The biggest news of the summer here in Richmond was the reunion of Avail, the band who defined Richmond’s music scene in the 90s and helped put the river city on the musical map throughout the country and beyond. After 12 years away from the stage, they brought a hotly-anticipated two-night stand to the National and blew fans’ minds all over again. In the run-up to that memorable weekend of rock, we had an exclusive conversation about their reunion with vocalist Tim Barry, and you’ll find it all in this issue of RVA Magazine!

PHOTO: Ken Penn

We’re also bringing you an in-depth profile of Trevor Frost, a photographer and Richmond native whose work with National Geographic and other world-renowned publications has taken him to every corner of the globe. You’ll learn what Frost has seen and discovered in his voyages, and why he keeps coming back to Richmond every time.

Photo of Trevor Frost by Melissa Lesh

We don’t just focus on Richmond, though — our reporting takes us to the farthest reaches of the Commonwealth this issue, where we learn about Tennessee-adjacent Lee County’s attempts to create a policy based on comments from political leaders about arming teachers to prevent school shootings. Why does this rural county at the very tip of Virginia’s panhandle think such a policy is a good idea? And how do they intend to put it into practice? We’ll give you a deeper look.

Photo by John Donegan

We’ve got a lot more in store for you in this issue as well, from a GayRVA report on the recently-released documentary capturing and honoring the life of legendary Richmond cult figure Dirtwoman to an exclusive conversation with up and coming postpunk band Unmaker. We’ll also learn about the hip hop and skateboarding connection with Richmond’s own Washington Avenue Skateboards, and take a closer look at the history of the city’s underground graffiti scene — a major influence on the mural boom RVA is undergoing today.

All of that is in store for you when you grab your very own copy of RVA #37, available in all your favorite local businesses around town. Get yours now… they’re going fast!

For Hollywood stars whose relevance is fading, sharing discriminatory hot takes on causes you don’t understand is a bad way to get back in the spotlight.

This week, things took an awkward turn when it turned out that Zach Morris is not actually the Saved By The Bell cast member who is trash. Instead, it turns out, it’s good ol’ AC Slater. Former Saved By the Bell actor Mario Lopez, who is now a host on the entertainment news show Extra, is confused — and he thinks you actually care about his opinion.

He especially seems to think you care about his problematic (read: dangerous) opinion about parents who support their transgender children. Originally Lopez appeared back in June on conservative YouTube talk show The Candace Owens Show and was asked about parents allowing their children to express traditionally-opposite gender interests. Specifically, he remarked about how children don’t understand what is going on anyway, and how dangerous it is.

Owens, who was previously a nanny, opened the questioning by prodding that children don’t have the mental authority to understand gender identity.

“I’m kind of blown away, too,” Lopez told Owens, according to NBC News. “I’m never one to tell anyone how to parent their kids, obviously, and I think if you come from a place of love, you really can’t go wrong… but at the same time, my God, if you’re 3 years old and you’re saying you’re feeling a certain way, or you think you’re a boy or a girl — or whatever the case may be — I just think it’s dangerous as a parent to make that determination.”

While this may be true depending on the source you cite, it should be noted by anyone with any sense that gender and sexuality are two separate entities. Conservative media enjoys conveniently combining them, but it should again be noted that they are, seriously, not the same thing.

It took a while for anyone to notice his appearance on the show, but finally people found out about it, and now Lopez has come under fire on social media. Naturally, he backpedaled the hell out of there as soon as the clip went viral, commenting on Wednesday about how sorry he is and how much he supports the LGBTQ community.

“I have been, and always will be, an ardent supporter of the LGBTQ community, and I am going to use this opportunity to better educate myself,” Lopez said, according to Insider. “Moving forward I will be more informed and thoughtful.”

I would like to point out that if he really agreed that these comments were in poor taste, he wouldn’t have waited until the last day of July to jump on that. To quote my dear father, “You’re not sorry you did it, you’re sorry you got caught.”

For the record, the producers of Extra were not on board with what Lopez had to say, issuing a statement of their own about the whole affair. “While we have enjoyed a long relationship with Mario Lopez, who we know to be a caring person, the opinions he expressed in this interview do not reflect those of Extra,” they stated, according to Deadline. “We wholeheartedly embrace our friends from the LGBTQ community and believe they need support and love.”

Hopefully cast members from 90s teen sitcoms will give us more of that support and love in the future. And hopefully Mario Lopez will follow through on that promise to educate himself about an issue he has proven himself ignorant about.

Do you have the writing chops to seek out and deliver compelling stories on the latest in music, art, food, beer, politics, and current events in Richmond? Well, you’re in luck, because RVA Magazine and GayRVA are opening positions for journalism interns for our upcoming fall season.

Launched in 2005 as a zine to promote the bubbling revival of Richmond’s underground, the RVA regional brand started with RVAMag. RVA Magazine and GayRVA are now two of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets, and the region’s voice for arts, entertainment, and cultural news. We are always seeking to diversify our newsroom: LGBTQ and minority students are very much encouraged to apply.

Opportunities

Both publications have several opportunities for writers and students (credit/non-credit available) who are passionate, hard-working, and excited to learn under the guidance of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets right here in Richmond.

We welcome your ideas, and will open doors to interview artists, musicians, politicians, and local influencers with opportunities to pitch your own ideas as well. Interns will be published writers with the hands-on help of our editorial team, with guidance through interviewing and writing articles. Writers can attend and cover shows, write features on artists, and report on musicians, craft beer pros, restaurants, films, theater, fashion, politics, and more — right here in the River City and across Virginia.

Ideal candidates will:

Attend college in journalism, public relations, writing/media studies, or other related fields, and be in need of 1-3 credits through their scholastic program (credits not required, your preference)

Work on 1 article per week, and be able to meet deadlines in a professional editorial environment

Be able to work remotely and attend a weekly editorial meeting, with the freedom to attend events in the evening for possible feature pieces

Have a laptop, smartphone, and/or digital camera

Understand responsibilities involved when committing to a project

Write hard news and feature stories, bringing new angles and interesting elements to local topics

Have an open mind, with willingness to cover issues and topics that might be new to you with editors’ guidance

Juniors and Seniors studying Journalism will receive first priority consideration.

Attending a college program is not required, but those not in a program should be able to show a history of successful writing or commitment to a long-term project.

Internship Duties:

Interns work remotely on one article per week, interviewing sources in person or via phone on feature pieces.

Get access to shows, arts/concerts, and events of your choice throughout Virginia.

Have your name published in Virginia’s largest independent media, with long- and short-form writing experience.

Have the independence to cover stories and issues that interest you. Pitch your ideas and don’t hold back your creativity: We want to hear your voice and uplift the voices of our community that aren’t usually heard.

Multimedia web-based project experience.

Editorial jobs are mostly performed remotely, with a once-weekly editorial meeting to update projects (fully-remote interns welcome — just let us know in your application).

To apply, submit your email with the following materials:

Cover letter detailing why you want to work with RVA Magazine and what you can bring to the editorial team

Please send an email to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] and write “Internship Submission” as the subject line. Deadline for submission is August 5 (flexible if needed — send an email to the address above letting us know beforehand if you plan to submit a late application).

Internships are unpaid and for-credit if requested, with potential opportunities for steady contributor positions following the successful completion of your internship.

Do you have the writing chops to seek out and deliver compelling stories on the latest in music, art, food, beer, politics, and current events in Richmond? Well, you’re in luck, because RVA Magazine and GayRVA are opening positions for editorial and graphic design interns for our upcoming summer season.

Launched in 2005 as a zine to promote the bubbling revival of Richmond’s underground, the RVA regional brand started with RVAMag. RVA Magazine and GayRVA are now Virginia’s largest independent media outlets, and the region’s voice for arts, entertainment, and cultural news. We are always seeking to diversify our newsroom: LGBTQ and minority students are very much encouraged to apply.

Opportunities

Both publications have several openings for writers and creatives who are passionate, hard-working, and excited to learn under the guidance of Virginia’s largest independent media outlets right here in Richmond.

We welcome your ideas, and will open doors to interview artists, musicians, politicians, and local influencers with opportunities to pitch your own ideas as well. Writers can attend and cover shows, write features on artists, and report on musicians, craft beer pros, restaurants, films, theater, fashion, politics, and more — right here in the River City and across Virginia.

Ideal candidates will:

Attend college and be in need of 1-3 credits through their scholastic program (credits not required, your preference)

Work on 1 article per week, and be able to meet deadlines in a professional editorial environment

Be able to work remotely and attend a weekly editorial meeting, with the freedom to attend events in the evening for possible feature pieces

Have a laptop, digital camera and/or smartphone

Be willing to work hard

Understand responsibilities involved when committing to a project

Be able to write hard news and features, with ability to bring interesting elements in stories into articles through interviews and drafting relevant questions

Have an open mind, with the willingness to cover issues and topics that might be altogether new to you

Juniors and Seniors studying Journalism will receive first priority consideration.

Attending a college program is not required, but those not in a program should be able to show a history of successful writing or commitment to a long-term project.

Editorial Internship Details:

1. Writing – Interns will draft 1-2 articles per week: News writing, event previews, interviews of artists or musicians, album reviews, features on new businesses and local stories, political updates.

2. Interviewing – You will be speaking to lots of different people. The voices of the city and state help define the publication, and you will be seeking out those voices.

3. Pitching and developing long-form stories – We want to help you get published, we want to see you succeed. We’ll help you get there in any way possible, and provide guidance to continue your professional career in any different facets of the media industry. We can help with career counseling and help you build your resume to move forward into a media environment.

Internship Duties:

Interns work remotely on 1 article per week, interviewing sources in person or via phone on feature pieces.

Get access to shows, parties, and events of your choice throughout Virginia.

Have your name published in Virginia’s largest independent media, with long- and short-form writing experience.

Have the independence to cover stories and issues that interest you. Pitch your ideas and don’t hold back your creativity: We want to hear your voice and uplift the voices of our community that aren’t usually heard.

Multimedia web-based project experience.

Editorial jobs are mostly performed remotely, with a once-weekly editorial meeting to update projects.

To apply, submit your email with the following materials:

Cover letter detailing why you want to work with RVA Magazine and what you can bring to the editorial team

Please send an email to Caley Sturgill at [email protected] and write “Internship Submission” as the subject line. Deadline for submission is May 20 (flexible if needed — send an email letting us know beforehand if you plan to submit a late application).

Internships are unpaid and for-credit if requested, with potential opportunities for steady contributor positions following the internship.

This week, RVA Magazine #36 is on the stands all over town, welcoming spring with our first brand-new edition of 2019. It’s chock full of arts, culture, music, politics, news, and more. From across the state to right here at home, RVA #36 brings you the first-rate coverage of central Virginia’s street-level culture that you have come to expect over RVA Mag’s 14 years of existence.

Richmond’s artistic community is drawing a lot of attention this year, and in this issue, we dug into the stories behind the art. From longtime local fave Chris Visions, who has caught the world’s eye with his work on Marvel’s Spider-Verse, to gothic princess Abigail Larson, who is currently involved in the creation of Neil Gaiman’s latest Sandman project, we’ve got some serious heavy hitters to introduce you to in this issue.

Richmonders getting out and exploring the world is also a big theme this issue. From local hip-hop sensation Michael Millions’s improbable experience performing in small-town Kentucky to our own Madelyne Ashworth’s travels around Europe and Asia, we bring the unique perspective of our home city to events all around the world.

There’s a lot more in store as well, from a GayRVA report on the queer resistance movement in rural Appalachia to an exploration of independent filmmaking in the river city with the creators of upcoming feature Last Call, which was filmed on location at Richmond’s own The Answer.

All of that is in store for you when you grab your very own copy of RVA #36, available in all your favorite local businesses around town. Get yours now… they’re going fast!

Years after making waves at Babe’s of Carytown, ANIMAL is lighting up the River City once more at The Hof.

You know the place.

Pulsing bass and treble under your feet, around your head. It feels like it’s coming from deep inside your body. Spurts of fog blast out from under the stage, and wisps linger around technicolor lights. It’s all aglow — and people are dancing. You’re dancing. Suddenly pulled into a unified body, you’re swaying, arms flying, and smiles flash through the crowd in strobes.

This is the essence of an ANIMAL dance party, an all-inclusive staple in the Richmond queer community and beyond. Some Richmonders remember ANIMAL’s humble beginnings, a weeknight event at Babe’s of Carytown in the long-gone days of 2012. But seven years later, the collective has evolved into an ever-anticipated weekend bash: theme nights, interactive props, and collaborations with legendary artists such as Mykki Blanco and Big Freedia.

“The best thing about ANIMAL has always been our community, and the energy we create together,” founder and DJ Conley Thurston Billings said.

Billings has seen major life changes in recent years, and has been slowing down ANIMAL events (he, for one thing, is a new father). While enthusiasm and participation stayed high, 2018 saw ANIMAL parties slip to a trickle. The annual Halloween party couldn’t be passed up, held at the self-described “goth, industrial, fetish club” Fallout and boasting a competitive costume contest. There was also a wild, emotional send-off for Strange Matter, held in the beloved venue’s final days — where were you when Strange Matter cut the soundboard and locked its doors for the last time?

It was somebody, somewhere, who once said that all good things must come to an end. No matter how wild and crazy. No matter how inclusive and diverse. Endless nights of dancing where anyone and everyone can be exactly who they are, and that’s okay. No, it’s more than okay. It’s preferable, actually. It’s perfect.

Time marches on. Years pass. Things change and eventually end. According to Billings, this is a given of life. And someday too, ANIMAL will meet this same fate.

“So there’s a lot of compartments to that venue,” Billings said, “but they opened up a new spot called the Darkroom, and it’s a much smaller room. For me, that’s more exciting — to do something a little smaller.”

The stylish, intimate space will feature the usual ANIMAL amenities and performances from local musician Baby Momo and Billings himself under his DJ name Dirt Thurston.

It seems that the time off for ANIMAL has only lit the flame brighter. As the weekend quickly approaches, over 300 people have marked themselves “interested” in the event on Facebook — nearly three times the capacity of their chosen slice of the Hofheimer venue.

According to Billings, the idea for the event came almost on a whim. It had been months since ANIMAL’s last event, and on a drive to Portsmouth with his wife, the couple passed the time by discussing ANIMAL, and eventually, planning the party.

“Before you know it, I’m booking the reboot in the Dark Room at the HOF before we’ve even gotten off of Interstate 64,” Billings said.

This is all, obviously, very exciting for many people. But before we punch our time sheets Friday evening, before our hallowed Saturday afternoon, thumbing through magazines and chatting with friends on front porches.. Before we gear up, and pile into a brigade of Ubers and Lyfts destined for the Hofheimer, let’s circle back and examine the man who made it all happen.

Salad Days

Like a familiar backdrop, music has always been a part of Billings’ life.

“I can remember growing up listening to records and all dancing in the living room,” Billings said. “My mom would always throw in high kicks to make us laugh. Those are some of my most treasured memories.”

Middle school brought Billings his first musical identity. Memory fades and blends as time passes, and for Billings, it’s a haze of rubber wheels, slick rhymes, and the throb of a stereo system.

“By the time I was in middle school, I was really into hip-hop and loved roller skating,” he said. “I can remember pre-ordering the cassette single Jump by Kris Kross from Kemp Mill records, and bringing it to the skating rink to give to the DJ (because I had it before they did).”

The archetypal younger sibling, Billings found himself rummaging through his older sister’s room one day when he unearthed Ramones and Violet Femmes cassettes. He instantly fell in love, he said, adding punk rock to his list of sonic obsessions and garnering a new respect for his sister.

“I was into hip hop and punk, so it was kind of a weird mix at the time,” Billings said.

“I like being all over the spectrum.”

By the mid-90s, some dance music tracks started creeping into his tape deck, and he remembers attending a RISE rave in Baltimore, where he lived at the time.

“Dancing to techno music took it to a different level, and sometimes was more like storytelling,” he said.

“Being yourself, letting go of your inhibition and becoming one with the music — your movements become fluid and your energy becomes part of this organic experience.”

Fast forward a decade, and Billings is becoming a house show veteran, building his music collection with artists such as Glass Candy, the Need, Erase Errata, Le Tigre and Tracy and the Plastics. In 2005, he witnessed the birth of Are We Not Men, a queer dance party at The Depot in Baltimore, and soon, he was guest DJing there. He later became a full-time resident act.

“It wasn’t until then that I would get the opportunity to be a part of a queer dance party, guest DJ, and play a bigger role in the queer music scene/community outside of my house and in a club,” he said. “That was when I realized this was something I really wanted to do.”

In 2007, Billings’ sister passed away after a long battle with kidney disease. He took a pause and stepped back from city life for a number of years, buying a house in Manassas.

“It’s hard to get up and go dancing if you’re sad,” he said.

Though he bought his own DJ equipment — and, after a while, began hosting house parties — it wasn’t until he moved to Richmond in 2011 that Billings delved back into the large-scale dance scene.

“I knew before moving here I wanted to host a party of my own, and focus on doing more for the community by having fundraisers and benefits as well as parties. I just needed to get things in place.”

A whole ‘nother Animal

A new face in the River City, Billings debuted ANIMAL one humid July night at Babe’s. It was slow at first, and some changes were in store before the party would grow into the collective it is today. Almost immediately, Billings met Joseph Whitfield, a recent VCU Sculpture graduate at the time. They had actually met months prior, when Whitfield and his partner bought a couch from Billings on Craigslist.

“That was our first interaction and we didn’t know that a few months later we’d actually run into each other and end up working together on ANIMAL.” Whitfield said.

Billings invited Whitfield to a show, handed him a flyer, and when the day came, he was there. Remembering that night, he said he was excited by the diverse, progressive music (stuff that was perfect for dancing), but that the Thursday night was a “hard pull” for a new face like ANIMAL.

“I was like: oh, this is really cool, but no one’s here,” Whitfield said.

He became ANIMAL’s “cheerleader,” taking point on marketing, branding and kindling their social media presence, learning as he went, “ad-hoc,” “DIY.” It was the birth of a dynamic duo: Billings on the ground, in the thick of things DJing and working with artists, and Whitfield behind the scenes.

“[We have] a lot of similar interests, although he’s much more booksmart than I am,” Billings said, laughing. “But music-wise, style-wise… we click.”

Billings was hit with another tragedy in 2013, when his mother died from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

“There really are no words to comfort the devastation and heartbreak of losing a loved one,” Billings said.

He took the summer off to process, and returned when we was ready later that year for a PRIDE celebration.

Before its ultimate growth spurt (peaking between 2014 and 2016, according to Billings), ANIMAL metamorphosed, spreading out to venues across the city rather than being rooted in a singular place. This change was practical as well as symbolic. ANIMAL became more of its own event, and was able to experiment more with music outside of the typical bar or club range.

“Don’t get me wrong,” Billings said, “I like chart busters, but I prefer to sprinkle them into the mix. For me, discovering new or underground music and sharing those tracks is more fun than playing or listening to songs you’re likely to hear over and over on the radio.”

The half-life of a movement

After creating ANIMAL, Billings, who is transgender, made the decision to transition. Although he said involvement with the collective was not the reason he decided to make the step, he is thankful for the support of his friends and ANIMAL.

“Realizing that every day is a gift, and you’re not guaranteed the next, is something everybody should live by.”

Billings said he dubbed the collective ‘ANIMAL’ because of the way he sees animals: “androgynous” and not held back by gender constructs.

“They’re not judged based on their gender,” Billings said. “I liked that name; I thought it felt right.”

ANIMAL, and the people who made it happen, have seen their fair share of ups and downs and major life changes. They’ve slowed down, but with an explosion of queer-friendly events and dance parties spanning the city (PurpleLife, BodyTalk, Ice Cream Social, Formula, Movement, Behavior, Weird, Party Liberation Front), and with Dancing in the Darkroom just days away, it’s safe to say their spirit — and their movement — is still going strong.

Whitfield will be moving out of Richmond soon, and another major collaborator, David Riley, is working through his degree at VCU.

It’s hard to say what the future holds for ANIMAL. Billings is careful to make no promises.

“There are multiple trans and queer parties in this city now,” Billings said. “There will never be too many, but at least there’s comfort in knowing that no matter what, they will exist. I’d like to book a few gigs this year, including an all-ages rollerskating party.”

This is what makes a city like Richmond special. When ANIMAL eventually ends, there is a new generation already honing their creativity and skill, ready to pick up the slack. Until then, they’ll work together to keep the city alive with excitement, inclusivity and art.

“I think it’s just part of evolution, I think that’s just the way it goes. It’s the way the music industry always goes… what’s happening today might not be happening later,” Billings said.

“It’s important to support each other and to go have those good experiences in case it does stop.”